Buncombe County News

This news item expired on 12/31/2013, so the information below could be outdated or incorrect.

How to Dispose of Fall Leaves

Compost Your Leaves

The easiest and quickest way to manage leaves is to compost them. Run a mulching mower over the leaves to compost them directly into your lawn or simply rake them into a compost pile. Come spring, the leaves will have decomposed into a soil additive for your garden.

City of Asheville

Bagged leaves are collected twice a month throughout the entire year as part of the City’s bi-weekly brush collection. Place bags or containers at the street by 7 a.m. on Monday of your collection week.

Any type of lawn or garden bag will be fine to use. When the bags are emptied, they are left for you to reuse again. Here are a few guidelines to ensure that your bagged leaves are collected:

Do not tie bags or place lids on containers.

Do not mix trash with the bagged leaves.

Place bags or containers near the street by 7 a.m. on Monday of your collection week.

If using a container write “leaves” or “brush” on the container for crews to easily identify the container and not confuse it for trash collection.

Don't Burn Them

Keep in mind that burning of leaves is not permitted in the city and violators risk a fine from the Asheville Fire Marshal's office. Fines can range between $250 to $500 or more, and violators may even be arrested.

Buncombe County - Take them to the Landfill

If you have more leaves than you can handle, you can drop off leaves, clean wood, brush, and limbs at the Buncombe County Landfill. Leaves must be separate from woody debris, as they are collected in separate areas.

There's a fee of $20 per ton (prorated). All of the yard material accepted at the landfill is ground and turned into mulch, which is available for $10 per scoop. (One scoop will fill the bed of a standard pickup truck.) To purchase mulch at the landfill, you must have a tarp to cover it for the trip home.